A Nickname for Harry
by allyrachelle
Summary: She was off limits, no matter how badly he wanted to break the best-friends-don’t-date-their-best-friends-little-sister rule. H/G! Some R/H! Slightly AU. Takes place during HBP.


Disclaimer: I don't not own Harry Potter and such. As much as I would like to, JK Rowling is just too much of a genius and came up with the idea first.

A/N: Just a little Christmas oneshot that I've had in my mind…It's a little late, but who doesn't love a little Christmas spirit even after Christmas?

**A Nickname for Harry**

It was a snowy day outside, and everyone around was excited for the approaching Christmas holiday. Everyone, that is, but a certain red-haired girl named Ginny Weasley.

Why wasn't she excited for Christmas, you may ask? The answer to this question is quite simple; Harry Potter. But how could one boy ruin such a wonderful holiday for such a usually cheery girl? Well, this question is much more challenging to answer, so let us start at the beginning. We will go back exactly two days before…

"Harry!" Ron yelled across the room to his best mate, who, for some reason, was still asleep. "Harry! Wake up!"

Still no reply came, save for a muffled groan from beneath Harry's squashy pillow.

"Harry, mate! C'mon, get up!" Ron tried again, but still no reply came his way. Just as Ron was about to throw a bright orange pillow at Harry, his younger sister, Ginny, entered the room.

"Ginny!" Ron cried, exasperated from his multiple attempts at waking Harry. "Thank Merlin you're here! Can you try to wake Harry?…"

Ginny rolled her eyes, for that was why she was there in the first place. She bit back her cheeky retort and turned her attention toward the only non-redhead in the room.

"Oh Harry, darling, it's time to wake up," Ginny said mockingly, rubbing Harry's back.

To Ron's disbelief, Harry stirred almost instantly. Harry rolled over on his back, his hair sticking up at wayward angles. Ginny smiled down at him.

"'Morning, Gin," Harry grinned, pushing himself up into a sitting position and fixing his white t-shirt, which had twisted around his torso.

Ginny smiled, flicking him in the temple. He swatted her hand away.

"It's about time you woke up, you know," Ginny chided. "Even Ron woke up before you."

"If you _must_ know," Harry said, squinting a bit, considering his glasses were still on his bedside table. "I couldn't sleep last night."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"And what could be keeping the mighty Harry Potter from having his beauty rest?" she said with a mocking sigh. "Merlin knows he needs it."

Harry looked like he had been hit in the face. "Really?"

Ginny nodded, but stopped midway at the look on Harry's face. He was staring right into her eyes, without his glasses obstructing his own. She was momentarily speechless, unable to tear her eyes away. "Well--not really."

"Oh," Harry said, trying to hide his obvious relief. Ginny felt suddenly very awkward.

"I--uh--" Ginny coughed a bit, her neck growing red. "I'll be heading down to the common room…"

Harry's gaze followed her out of the dormitory, his eyes lingering for a moment on the door after she left. Ron cleared his throat.

"So--er--" he looked confused. "What exactly _was_ that?"

"Nothing," Harry said quickly, putting on his glasses and avoiding Ron's gaze.

"It sure _looked_ like someth--"

"Listen," Harry said somewhat sadly and forcefully. "_Nothing_ is going on between me and your sister."

"But--"

"I'm going down to breakfast. Coming?" Harry said in a tense voice, cleverly avoiding talking about this subject with his best friend, who was also the older brother of his current obsession--if you could call it that.

"Er--yeah," Ron said, as though confused as to how the subject got turned to food, but not really caring. "I'm famished."

Harry released the breath he was holding, as Ron turned his back away, pulling on his robes. Ginny was a sore subject for him. Even though she had broken up with Dean over a fortnight ago, he was still--cautious--around her. True, they _had_ grown quite a bit closer, but Harry was unsure of how to approach the subject of his real intentions.

As he and Ron made their way down the boy's staircase, Harry's breath caught in his throat. She had waited for them!

"Hey Harry, Ron," Ginny said, and Harry's heart leapt. _She had said 'Harry' before 'Ron!'_

"Hi Gin," Harry said, trying and failing to appropriately mask the look of adoration in his eyes. He could have sworn that Ginny noticed, but he wasn't quite sure…

"We better get going. Hermio--" she started to say, but Ron interrupted her.

"Hermione? Is she already down in the Great Hall?"

"Whoa, slow down there," Ginny laughed, shooting a glance at Harry, who suppressed a snort. "I was getting there. Yes, she is down there, waiting for her Ronniekins to--"

But Ron had already rushed out of the Common Room.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me, Ginger," Harry said. Ginny looked at him curiously.

"Ginger?"

Harry smiled and nodded. "It's called a nickname…"

"I know what it is!" Ginny laughed, heading out of the portrait hole, Harry in tow.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Ginny said. "You know, I don't have a nickname for you, but I think you need one."

Harry remained silent, afraid that if he spoke, he would whoop for joy.

"Hmm," Ginny thought aloud. "I'll have to think of one. On that note, I'll get back to you."

Harry released a grin, and Ginny laughed lightly. Harry was about to say something, but the words died in his throat. _He couldn't… With the way Ron acted that morning--He wasn't allowed. _

She was off limits,no matter how badly he wanted to break the _best-friends-don't-date-their-best-friends-little-sister _rule.

Harry regained his self composure as he and Ginny entered the Great Hall. Harry willed himself not to, but he couldn't help but glance down at her.

"Oh for the love--Look at them!" Ginny said, half excited, half disgusted. She pointed to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting _very_ close and whispering things back and forth. Both were blushing furiously.

"Lovely," Harry said. "They've gotten quite…chummy."

"Harry, I don't think you'd be--for lack of a better word--_welcome_, over there right now…" Ginny said.

Harry looked at her and swallowed. "I reckon you're right."

"You'd better sit with me, today, then. Don't you think?" she said, looking up at him hopefully.

Harrys heart began to beat a bit faster. "Er--I suppose…Yeah."

"Come on, I see a few open seats near the end," Ginny said, pointing to a somewhat secluded area of the Gryffindor table.

Harry and Ginny sat down opposite each other, and began to eat somewhat awkwardly. Harry wasn't sure about Ginny, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to stomach much food at this point.

Harry's foot brushed Ginny's under the table, and he muttered a soft apology, his cheeks tinged pink. He stared determinedly down at his plate.

"Harry?" Ginny asked suddenly, setting down her fork.

"Yes?" he replied finally looking up at her.

"You're--" she paused. "You're coming home with us for the holidays, aren't you?"

"Well, Ron hasn't really mentioned--" Harry muttered.

"Okay, then I'm mentioning it," Ginny said.

"Okay, then yeah," he said with a smile. "I'll be there."

"Good," Ginny said, sounding relieved. "I can't wait to see your face when you get your Christmas present!"

WHY HADN'T HE THOUGHT OF THAT?

He couldn't believe it! He forgot to get her a present!

"Ah, well--" Harry said. "I'll still need to go shopping. Can I go into town after we get to the Burrow?"

"Of course," Ginny said, her face brightening a bit. "I'll come with you! It'll be fun!"

Harry grinned. "Great! I'll need to get Muggle money, of course…"

Ginny nodded and smiled, remembering something.

"In town, they have this great shop--it sells all sorts of sweets. It's like a Muggle version of Honeydukes."

"Really?" Harry asked. "I've never really had Muggle sweets. It was always Dudley that got that sort of stuff…"

Harry trailed off. He had never said any of these things to Ginny before. He didn't really want her to know about his horrible childhood.

"They were horrible weren't they?" Ginny whispered, and Harry wondered how she had gotten over to his side of the table.

Harry found that he couldn't force himself to lie to her. He nodded. Ginny closed her eyes.

"You'll never be treated that way again, Harry," she said. "I'll make sure of that."

Harry nodded once more, and closed his eyes briefly. He felt Ginny move a bit closer to him. He opened his eyes.

"I--uh--I have to--pack and everything," Harry said, hating himself. He gave her a fleeting hug, and hurried out of the Great Hall.

Ginny sighed, her shoulders slumping. She had hoped…but she was let down again.

Out in the corridor, Harry's breathing was becoming rather laboured. He couldn't believe that had just happened. He had wanted that for so long, but for some reason…He couldn't bring himself to do that sort of thing to Ron.

He wanted to be with Ginny--but Ron was his best mate for over 5 years, and he--just couldn't. Not without Ron's blessing, at least.

Harry and Ginny never had another one-on-one meeting with each other until they had arrived at the Burrow for the Christmas holidays. Harry had been quite apprehensive about staying in the same house as Ginny, but he calmed himself down at the thought of actually spending another Christmas with an actual family--one that accepted him as one of their own.

"_It was a snowy day outside, and everyone around was excited for the approaching Christmas holiday. Everyone, that it, but a certain red-haired girl named Ginny Weasley._

_Why wasn't she excited for Christmas, you may ask? The answer to this question is quite simple; Harry Potter_."

Harry, of course, still had to get a Christmas present for Ginny, however, and he wasn't sure of how to bring up the subject to Ginny. She _did_ offer to go with him, and Harry needed a chance to redeem himself after his potential mess up in the Great Hall.

Luckily, Harry didn't have to bring anything up to anyone, as Ginny had come up to him the day after their arrival from Hogwarts. She had acted as if nothing had happened (although her insides were writhing with despair), and told him that she could come shopping with him later that day.

Harry had agreed quickly, and in five minutes time, he was up in Ron's room, frantically sorting through his clothes.

"What are you doing?" Ron said as he entered through the door with Hermione in tow. She was visiting for a few days, but was leaving Christmas Eve morning.

"Oh," Harry said. "Er--nothing."

"It sure look--It feels like we've already had this conversation," Ron said, and Harry laughed. "So what's up?"

"Really, Ron," Harry said. "I'm just getting some clothes to change into."

Hermione caught Harry's eye, and he could have sworn she winked knowingly at him.

"Come on, Ron," she said in a tone that Harry accurately dubbed as 'you-can-thank-me-later'. "Let's go get some hot chocolate."

"Okay!" Ron said enthusiastically. Harry shook his head. If they weren't dating already, then when they finally did, Hermione would have that boy _whipped_.

"Thanks," Harry mouthed to Hermione, who smiled lightly at him in return.

As Ron and Hermione left, Harry finally found the perfect outfit that would hopefully help him look his best. It was a dark green jumper that matched his eyes and a pair of dark jeans. He quickly changed into the outfit and made his way to the living room to meet Ginny.

As Harry passed a doorway on one of the many landings in the Burrow, the door swung open to reveal Ginny, who had a somber look on her face.

"Ginny," Harry said with a smile that made her expression dissipate.

"Oh hello, Harry," she said, closing her door and coming out onto the landing. "Are you ready to head out?"

Harry nodded, unable to get the jovial look off of his face.

"Let's go," he said, as she led the way down the staircase.

"So," Ginny said as she and Harry made their way to the little village down the road.

"So," Harry repeated, shuffling his feet a bit, kicking up a bit of the powdery snow beneath them. "What do you want for Christmas?"

Ginny knew _exactly_ what she wanted, but wasn't about to tell him.

"Oh, you know," she said, waving her gloved hand. "The usual…"

Harry laughed.

"Er--Not exactly, Ginger," he said with a smile, and nudged her with his elbow.

Ginny stopped him, and stared up into his eyes.

"Oh yeah," he said, remembering something. "You were supposed to give me a nickname, weren't you?"

"You're nickname?" Ginny asked, a fierce look on her face. "You want to know your nickname?"

Harry looked at her with a confused look on his face. "Wha--?"

"I have tons of nicknames for you, Harry," Ginny said. "One of them is 'infuriating.' Another is 'a complete prat.' shall I go on?"

"Ginny," Harry said, nonplussed. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh," Ginny said. "What am _I_ talking about? I am talking about how the past few weeks I haven't a _clue_ what I've been doing wrong!"

Ginny stopped to look at him with an exasperated expression on her face.

"Don't you get it?" she said. "I broke up with Dean, wasn't that enough? I thought you understood what my intentions were, Harry Potter."

"I--I--" Harry started, but Ginny cut him off.

"I guess I was wrong," Ginny said, her temper fizzling down. "So here it is. I am completely and utterly in love with you, you git."

Harry tried to form words, but had trouble getting out what he wanted to say. Ginny sighed sadly when he didn't say anything, and was about to walk away when he finally spoke.

"You've been the object of my obsession for the past few months, Gin," he said, his eyes finally reaching hers. "I didn't want to say anything to you. I thought that since--I thought that since you were Ron's sister that you were--off limits of something."

Harry took a deep breath and sighed.

"Wha--?"

"The other day--in the Great Hall--all I wanted to do was--" he broke off. "I don't think you know how painful this year has been for me, Gin. Ron was the only thing that was holding me back. I've never felt this way about anyone, and…"

"And what?" Ginny asked, her eyes staring into his desperately.

"And--You know what I say, now?" Harry said, stepping close to her. "I say to hell with Ron."

Harry leaned down and kissed her. This time, no one was crying over Cedric, and this time, it wasn't just anyone in his arms--it was _Ginny _.

Something tightened in Harry's chest, and the creature inside roared in triumph. And one thing was certain as he leaned back and smiled at her--this would be forever.

**A/N: I love it! It's pretty cliché and gooey, but I'm a sucker for those things! Please review and favorite!**


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